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Revealed Preference Analysis of School Choice Models

Author

Listed:
  • Nikhil Agarwal
  • Paulo J. Somaini

Abstract

Preferences for schools are important determinants of equitable access to high-quality education, effects of expanded choice on school improvement and school choice mechanism design. Standard methods for estimating consumer preferences are not applicable in education markets because students do not always get their first choice school. This review describes recently developed methods for using rich data from a school choice mechanism to estimate student preferences. Our objectives are to present a unifying framework for these methods and to help applied researchers decide which techniques to use. After laying out methodological issues, we provide an overview of empirical results obtained using these models and discuss some open questions.

Suggested Citation

  • Nikhil Agarwal & Paulo J. Somaini, 2019. "Revealed Preference Analysis of School Choice Models," NBER Working Papers 26568, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:26568
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Laverde, Mariana & Mykerezi, Elton & Sojourner, Aaron & Sood, Aradhya, 2025. "Gains from Alternative Assignment? Evidence from a Two-Sided Teacher Market," IZA Discussion Papers 17696, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. De Groote, Olivier & Rho, Minyoung, 2024. "Matching Disadvantaged Children to Day Care: Evidence from a Centralized Platform," IZA Discussion Papers 17547, IZA Network @ LISER.
    3. Mariana Laverde, 2022. "Distance to Schools and Equal Access in School Choice Systems," Working Papers 2022-002, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    4. Alfred Galichon & Bernard Salani'e, 2021. "Cupid's Invisible Hand: Social Surplus and Identification in Matching Models," Papers 2106.02371, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2023.
    5. Nikhil Agarwal & Itai Ashlagi & Michael A. Rees & Paulo Somaini & Daniel Waldinger, 2021. "Equilibrium Allocations Under Alternative Waitlist Designs: Evidence From Deceased Donor Kidneys," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(1), pages 37-76, January.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D47 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Market Design
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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